Agree what is being shipped
Record the origin, destination, product, delivery term, and named place. List the buyer, supplier, forwarder, broker, and importer of record, then confirm their responsibilities against the contract and the shipment’s current requirements.
- Purchase order and product specification
- Delivery term and the named place
- Cargo-ready date, booking plan and receiving destination
Know who releases each document
Track the documents alongside the cargo. For each one, record who issues it, who needs it, and what must happen before either the goods or the document can be released. Keep revised dates, quantities, and instructions in that same record.
- Preparation: order, invoice and product details
- Dispatch: transport and release documents
- Arrival: customs, delivery and inventory reconciliation
Questions to take to your provider
Use a corridor guide to prepare questions for the parties handling your shipment. The guides explain the process; they do not book freight, clear customs, or commit to a particular shipment. Confirm the service, tariff, and timing with the provider responsible.